Radiator vent valve



Jan. W, 1950 J. A. GORTON RADIATOR VENT VALVE INVENTOR JZDJEPH 6 6mm Filed Sent. 17. 1946 Patented Jan. 10, a 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT 5 OFFICE 2,494,295, 1 t I RADIATOR vEn rvALvn Joseph A. Gorton, Montcla iriN. JQ, assignor to Gorton Heating Corporation, Cranford, N. J., acorporation of New York j 7 Application September 17, 1946', Serial No; 697,528

1 Claim. (01. 2361-62) This invention relates to what I term equalizing valves or air eliminators for use in venting radiators in providing a more efiicient and economical heating system of a home or building by greater efiiciency in operation-of the boiler or furnace. More particularly, the invention deals with valves of the kind under consideration employing" a bimetal supportfor the valve, the support being so constructed as to provide a protruding stop end arranged in close proximity to the wall of the casing of the device, so as to provide means for retaining the valve element against accidental displacement from the sup port or removal from its seat in the event that the device is subjected to rough handling. The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description when taken together with the accompanying drawing in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed, and in which the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is asectional face view of a valve device made according to my invention, the section being on the line I| of Fig. 2, with part of the construction broken away and in section; and

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

In practice I provide a cup casing I having an outwardly offset wall H at one side, the other side of the casing being open and adapted to be closed by a cover plate l2 soldered or otherwise soured to the casing Ill. The top of the casing it has an aperture l3 in which is arranged a nipple type plug l4 having an inner reduced external threaded end l5 within which is formed a conical valve seat It opening into an elongated passage I! in the plug 14. The plug M may be considered a discharge member or thimble.

Opening into the bore I! is a slightly conical discharge opening l8, the size of which governs the vent capacity of the valve device. It will here be understood that these openings vary on different devices in a system in regulating or balancing the system to provide equalized heat in the different rooms serviced by a single boiler or furnace The member [4 is secured to the casing by a large hexagon nut l9 engaging the threads l5 and adapted to secure a thermostatic element 20 in position in the casing.

The cap l2 has secured to the lower portion thereof a nipple 2| of standard construction for attachment to radiators, as in other devices of this kind. The element 20 comprises an elongated bimetal strip, the difierent metals of which are indicated at 22 and 23 in the drawing. The

strip is curved tov form a large loop, as at 24 beyond which extends a mounting end 25 which is clamped between the nut l9 and theinner surface of the casing and a supporting end 26 apertured, as seen at 21, the supporting end 26 terminating in a stop extension which normally extends to and is spaced from the wall 28 of the casing ID a short distance, as indicated at 29 in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

At 30 is shown the valve member of the device. This valve member comprises an elongated rod 3|, the upper end of which has an enlarged and rounded head 32 adapted to seat on the conical seat It, as clearly indicated in Fig. 2. Below the head is a slight shoulder 33 against which the bell portions 34 of the valve seats and is soldered to the rod in positioning the bell upon the rod. At the lower end of the rod is a reduced pin portion 35 which extends freely through the aperture 27 and projects below the support 26 suficiently to prevent accidental displacement of the valve 30 while at the same time facilitating free movement of the valve in the casing.

In valves of the general type and kind disclosed,

difiiculty has been experienced in accidental displacement of the bell valve in the casing when the casing has been subjected to a severe shock or blow, for example, in accidental dropping of the valve and striking a hard surface. In many instances this has necessitated the replacement of the valve device, as this would be more economical than to attempt to unsolder and refinish a valve device for repositioning of the bell valve therein.

One of the distinctive features of my present invention is to provide a bimetal control element for the support of the bell valve unit and in constructing the element with a long end, as at 29, extending to a point in close proximity to the wall of the casing so that in the event of the valve device being subjected to a shock or blow, as referred to above, the long end acts as a means checking or limiting movement of the bell valve to prevent the head end 32 thereof from becoming unseated or displaced with respect to the part i4 having the valve seat It therein. It will also appear that normally, and when the valve device is not in use, the valve member 30 will assume a slight angular position with respect to the vertical, the element 24 assuming the position illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing. As the temperature rises, action upon the bimetal thermostatic element 24 will cause the valve member 30 to be moved upwardly to seating position, in which operation the valve member 30 will be moved into a vertical or perpendicular position where its axis is substantially in alinement with the bore or passage H.

In the drawing, clearances are shown, for example, between the pin 35 and aperture 21 in an exaggerated manner, simply to indicate free mounting of the valve member and sufi'icient clearance to compensate for the swinging movement of the element 24. The rounded head end 32 of the valve member moves toward the seat is to shut off and finally close the communication,

as will be apparent. It will be understood that the nipple 2! forms the inlet end of the casing and the aperture is the outlet, the latter controlled by the valve member.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by hettm Patent is:

In valves of the class described employinga casing, a plug coupled with the top of the casing and having an elongated passage terminating at its lower end in a conical seat opening into said casing, a valve member, a loop-shaped thermostatic element constituting the sole means for guiding, supportin and actuating said valve member in said casing, one end of said element being attached to the casing adjacent said plug, the other end of said element being free and having an elongated straight portion provided with an aperture, said portion extending to a point in close proximity to the casing wall, said valve member comprising a rod having a rounded upper end for engagement with said conical seat and a reduced end portion fitting into said aperture, said straight portion of the element extending at an angle greater than 90 to the axis of the passage oi said plug to support the valve member with the rod in an angular position to said axis, whereby in actuation of the valve member by said element into seated position on the conical seat, the rod will assume a position in alinement with said axis, and the free end of said straight portion when engaging the walls of the casing forming a check constituting the sole means for preventing accidental displacement of the roundedend of the valve member from said conical seat.

JOSEPH A. GORTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

